Weekly US oil, gas rig count down by 5 to 1,966

HOUSTON- The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. is down by five this week to 1,966.

Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday that 1,421 rigs were exploring for oil and 541 for gas. Four were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago, Baker Hughes reported 1,882 rigs.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas added 12 rigs and was the only state to increase by more than one. California, Oklahoma and West Virginia added one each.

Louisiana lost seven rigs, and New Mexico dropped by five. Pennsylvania was lower by four rigs, Colorado by three and Arkansas by two. Alaska, North Dakota and Wyoming were unchanged.

The rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed out at 488 in 1999.